"I will obey you, mother."
"Gabriel," she said, "bend your head." Mrs. Fortress came forward as if with the intention of interposing, but I motioned her away, and she retired in silence, but kept her eyes fixed upon us. "You bear no ill-will towards me?" my mother whispered. "You do not hate me?"
"No, mother," I replied, in a tone as low as her own. "What cause have I for ill-will or hatred? It would be monstrous."
"Yes," she muttered, "it would be monstrous, monstrous!"
And she turned from me, and lay with her face to the wall. Her form was shaken with sobs.
Mrs. Fortress beckoned to me and I followed her to the door.
"I will speak to you outside," she said.
We stood in the passage, the door of my mother's bedroom being closed upon us. The lawyer, who had also left the room, stood a few paces from us.
"It comes within my sphere of duty," said Mrs. Fortress, "to warn you that these scenes are dangerous to your mother. Listen."
I heard my mother crying and speaking loudly to herself, but I could not distinguish what she said.